Oxford approves membership in Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council and its electric aggregation plan

Oxford City Council voted unanimously to join the Sustainable Ohio Public Energy Council and to approve SOPEC's electric aggregation plan during consecutive resolutions after a required public hearing.

The public hearing presentation was led by SOPEC representatives and Oxford staff. Phil Uplock, SOPEC deputy director and general counsel, told council: "We are a regional council of governments organized under chapter 167 of the Ohio Revised Code." He described SOPEC as a shared energy office that serves member communities and some political subdivisions, and said "all of our member communities with electric aggregation programs have 100% renewable energy by default." Rena (city staff) summarized local analysis and member benefits, including local technical assistance and grant opportunities.

Why it matters: joining SOPEC would preserve Oxford's ability to set an aggregation default rate for residents and eligible small businesses rather than relying on the utility's standard service offer. SOPEC representatives said the council-certified plan and an existing PUCO certificate let municipalities adopt SOPEC's model without drafting a new plan.

Key details presented to council: - Default supply: SOPEC's aggregation programs are set to 100% renewable energy by default for participating meters. SOPEC uses AEP Energy as a supplier in its programs. - Participation and eligibility: the program covers residential and small commercial accounts (small commercial defined by statute as under 700,000 kWh/year). Customers who already shop for their own supplier (customer choice) and those who opt out are excluded from the automatic enrollment. - Opt-out process: an initial 21-day statutory opt-out window will be used; SOPEC provides mailed notices, call-center support and a QR code for responses. Members can still opt in or out after the initial period without early-termination fees, council was told. - Pricing and term: SOPEC typically uses fixed-term supplier contracts of one to three years; staff recommended shorter terms in volatile market conditions. Council heard that Duke Energy's standard service offer had moved higher and that recent aggregation rates still showed savings compared with the standard offer. - Administrative fee and member benefits: Rena told council SOPEC's administration fee is about $11 higher per customer per year than the city's current broker model, but staff noted recent savings of over $100 per customer across customer types in the last three years. SOPEC membership also carries noncompetitive community grants; staff estimated Oxford might receive roughly $17,000$18,000 annually tied to meter participation, and access to technical assistance and joint grant opportunities.

Council discussion touched on customer clarity, college-town move-in cycles and communications. Phil Uplock said SOPEC works with member communities to refresh enrollment rolls seasonally to capture students moving into campus housing. Rena said the city will receive SOPEC materials showing the city's logo on opt-out notices and that the SOPEC call center can handle resident questions.

Outcome: Council approved a resolution to join SOPEC and a companion resolution adopting SOPEC's plan of operation and governance by voice vote. The resolutions passed without recorded opposition.

What remains: If Oxford joins, the city will both accept SOPEC membership and adopt the aggregation plan; staff noted two separate pieces of legislation (membership and aggregation) are required and that joining without aggregating is not permitted. Council will later receive implementation materials, including the opt-out notice and the supplier contract details.